Study of O/W micro- and nano-emulsions based on propylene glycol diester as a vehicle for geranic acid

Nano- and microemulsions containing as the oil phase caprylic/capric propylene glycol diesters (Crodamol PC) were investigated as potential vehicle for controlled release of geranic acid. The influence of emulsifiers and co-surfactants on stability of the emulsions was investigated. Different kind of polysorbates (ethoxylated esters of sorbitan and fatty acids) were applied as the emulsifiers. The short-chain alcohols (ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol) were used as co-surfactants. The emulsions were prepared at ambient temperature (25°C), by the phase inversion composition method (PIC). The stable O/W high dispersed emulsion systems based on Crodamol PC, of mean droplets size less than 200 nm, were prepared. Microemulsions stabilized by the mixture of Polisorbat 80 and 1-butanol were characterized by the largest degree of dispersion (137 nm) and the lowest PDI value (0.094), at surfactant/co-surfactant: oil weight ratio 90:10. The stable nano-emulsion (mean droplet size of 33 nm) was obtained for surfactant: oil (S:O) weight ratio 90:10, without co-surfactant addition. This nano-emulsion was chosen to release studies. The obtained results showed that the prepared stable nano-emulsion can be used as a carrier for controlled release of geranic acid. The active substance release from the nano-emulsion and the oil solution, after 24 hours was 22%.